Three for Three

Washington Monthly Ranks UC San Diego #1 in the Nation for Third Consecutive Year

Scripps Institution of Oceanography/University of California, San Diego

For the third year in a row, the University of California, San Diego has been recognized by the Washington Monthly as the nation’s top college in rankings that measure "what colleges are doing for the country." The rankings, listed in the September 2012 issue, are based on research, social mobility, and commitment to service.

UC San Diego also was recognized by the Washington Monthly in the category of research production, which measures the number of undergraduates who go on to earn PhDs, faculty awards, and the amount of research expenditures. As a part of UC San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography is proud to share in this positive review.

Often known best for its strength in graduate education and research, undergraduate education at Scripps continues to expand and thrive. This year, Scripps faculty-taught courses enrolled more than 2,400 UC San Diego students. New developments included launching a highly anticipated major in marine biology, increasing undergraduate course offerings in all areas of marine, earth, and environmental sciences, and reinstating the summer NSF-REU Scripps Undergraduate Research fellowship program, which focuses on exposing underrepresented minorities to Scripps science.

"We are very pleased for all of us at UC San Diego," said Scripps Director Tony Haymet. "Our new marine biology major will grow the national reputation and quality of our undergraduate programs."

Student interest in the new marine science major at Scripps is strong with 18 enrollments so far, and participation in the existing earth science major and marine science minor continues to rise. The number of students enrolled in the earth sciences major has doubled over the last two years to more than 50. Additionally, there are more than 70 students pursuing the marine science minor. These developments reflect campus-wide efforts to increase the visibility and relevance of undergraduate education at Scripps.

-- Shannon M. Casey
August 27, 2012